


Old habits

by Kamaleen



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Sexual Content, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-02
Updated: 2016-06-02
Packaged: 2018-07-11 19:28:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7067047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kamaleen/pseuds/Kamaleen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Kid, I'm not a babysitter." Jack replied, lowering himself so their faces would be on the same level. "Go home."</p><p>"I don't want to go home!" The boy shook his head frantically. "I don't like dad. He…he…" The kid rubbed his upper arm. There was something in his blue eyes, something that told Jack there was something wrong. "He…I don't like how he touches me. Please, can I go with you?" The boy looked at him again. "I can wash dishes. I know how to mow the lawn. I can sweep the floor. I…"</p><p>"Enough kid, I'm not a babysitter." Jack said, using a more stoic voice. He was about to push the boy away when his instinct insisted that there was something really bad going on.</p><p>Jack examined the boy again. He saw bruises on the small shoulder. It was almost covered by the shirt. Soldier 76 hesitated at first, before pulling the collar of the boy's shirt to the side and saw a large bruise in a shape of a hand there. An adult's hand.</p><p>This boy was abused.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Old habits

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my first language and I have no beta-reader for this story. All mistakes are mine alone.

 

 

 

It hurt like hell.

Not that Jack had a habit of flirting with death, but it seemed like death love to flirt with him. He had told himself not to care about anyone who weren't his targets - but old habits did win, again.

"Go home, kid."

He told the young boy he just saved from a car crash. The boy looked at him and shook his head. Jack noted that the boy was too skinny.

"Go home." He said, nudging softly at the boy's shoulders. The boy just shook his head again and grabbed his shirt.

"I don't want to go back." The boy said, voice shaking. "Can I go with you, please?"

"Kid, I'm not a babysitter." Jack replied, lowering himself so their faces would be on the same level. "Go home."

"I don't want to go home!" The boy shook his head frantically. "I don't like dad. He…he…" The kid rubbed his upper arm. There was something in his blue eyes, something that told Jack there was something wrong. "He…I don't like how he touches me. Please, can I go with you?" The boy looked at him again. "I can wash dishes. I know how to mow the lawn. I can sweep the floor. I…"

"Enough kid, I'm not a babysitter." Jack said, using a more stoic voice. He was about to push the boy away when his instinct insisted that there was something really bad going on.

Jack examined the boy again. He saw bruises on the small shoulder. It was almost covered by the shirt. Soldier 76 hesitated at first, before pulling the collar of the boy's shirt to the side and saw a large bruise in a shape of a hand there. An adult's hand.

This boy was abused.

Jack growled behind his mask. Whoever did this to kids deserved at least a punch in the face. No, a lot of punches in the face.

"I will walk you home." Jack said, trying his best to remain calm. Today had been a long day. He had spent hours tracking the gangster movement until they arrived at the street Jack had prepared the traps. The fight was bloody chaotic that ended up with half the gangsters dead and half heavily injured. And their last car would have crushed this boy, if Jack hadn't pushed his already worn out body to save him. "Tell me who do this to you. I will take care of him. But you're not coming with me."

"No! He had guns. He will shoot you!" The boy shook his head. His voice was cracking. He just emerged from the corner with a grocery store bag in his hands, surely hadn't seen Jack shooting at those scumbags. "He shot anyone he doesn't like. Please, just let me go with you, please. I will do everything."

"No." Jack shook his head. He was sure he knew what happened to the boy. Abusive with anger-issue father or step-father. He had seen it too many times. "Tell me where you live. And what's your name?"

"Riley." The boy replied, walking back to grab the grocery store bag and the vegetable that were spilled out of the bag when Jack pulled him out of the car's way. There was still dusts in his raven hair. "My home is just a block away."

"Lead the way." Jack said, and Riley nodded before he started walking. Jack followed silently, looking out for gangsters who might be too stubborn to stay down. In the background, he heard siren from police cars. They should be here within a minute or two.

Jack remembered this town to be one of the loveliest ever. But as time passed and conflict occurs, the lovely streets were reduced to ugly markets of illegal drugs and guns. The warm in people's eyes turned to tiredness, suspicion, and stress. Polices were easier to bribe, and gangsters roamed the street at night.

 

 

An old carbuncle building came to their view. Beside it stood a tatter café which Jack remembered visiting with his comrades during his glory day. It wasn't this old and dirty in his memories, but that was almost ten years ago.

Riley leaded him up to an old wooden door of the building. The boy tried to push it opened by his shoulder. The door cracker a little, before Jack gave it a push. Riley almost stumbled forward but caught himself in time.

The hallway was smelly and ruined. The service room was empty. Jack could hear someone yelling from above, someone too drunk to stop cursing colourfully after every sentences he said. He wondered how Riley would grow up. The boy seemed to be not older than seven years old. Too young for any of this.

"Where is your mother?" Jack asked as they made their way toward the stairs. "You haven't talked about her."

"She…she's dead." Riley said, tear started to fill his eyes and Jack regretted asking. He should have figured this out.

"Dad sold mother's house after she died." Riley said as they went upstairs. The boy seemed to be walking slower and slower every seconds passed. Jack knew the boy didn't want to go back to his present 'home'. "I miss her."

No one said anything as they made their way to the third floor. Riley looked at him and Jack nodded, so the boy leaded him to the room with loud music blasting from the inside.

The boy stumbled with the doorknob, so Jack got it opened for him. Riley mumbled thank you and walked in. The room was dark and dirty. Jack could see used tissues and empty bottles everywhere. The windows were shut, some were broken. There was a couch in the room, facing a television. Three middle aged men were there, watching wrestling and cursing.

Riley tried his best to be out of sight as he walked toward the kitchen, but then the man in the middle just grabbed him and pulled him near. Jack knew the grip was meant to leave bruises, and the other hand was about to strike.

"You are fucking late! You lazy brat…"

The man was about to shout something colourfully rude, but Jack wasn't going to tolerate. He got himself between Riley and said man, hitting him with his gun.

"Who the fuck are you?!" The man groaned, standing up. His friends stood up to, reaching for their weapons. Jack had them all unconscious within less than ten seconds, Riley still standing behind him with wild eyes.

"Pack you things, I will get you out of here." Jack said, looking around the cramped apartment. The building was falling apart, and this room was stuffed full with drugs and illegal guns.

Riley nodded, smiling brightly, before he dropped the grocery store bag and ran to a closet which stood between the kitchen and a bathroom. Jack frowned as he watched Riley grabbed a bag from it and started loading clothes and his stuffs in. There was one bedroom here, and Jack frowned as he saw used condoms laying around the ruined bed.

"Where is your bed?" He asked, looking back to the boy who was having a difficult time swinging the bag over his small shoulders.

"I…I sleep on the rug." Riley said before looking at his feet. Jack said nothing. He did not know what to say.

"Let's go."

So Jack said this instead, grabbing the grocery bags and leaded the boy out of the apartment.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

It took Jack an hour and a half to get Riley back to the motel he was staying. There wasn't much in the room, but at least Riley would have a real bed to sleep in.

"Take a shower." Jack said, nodding toward the bathroom. "Are you hungry?"

"Not much…" Riley shook his head. "I already have an apple."

"That's not going to be enough." Jack said, unloaded the grocery bag, frowning at three beer bottle in it. "Take a shower. I will find you something to eat."

The boy nodded and grabbed his clothes before making his way to the bathroom. Jack checked things in the grocery store bag. There were some vegetables, beers, and sausage. He put the cheap beers away and decided to make a salad.

"What did you get yourself into this time?"

A cold voice asked from behind. Jack sighed and didn't flinch as a hand covered in black gloves appeared in front of his face. It took the mask off and settled it on the table nearby.

"Old habits die hard." Jack replied, handing the man behind him an ID card he took from Riley's father. "Please make sure this man won't bother that boy again."

"And what will you pay for my service?"

Reaper asked as he span Jack around. Jack let his ex-comrade slid the hand behind his back, holding him there.

"You know what you want." Jack replied, feeling Reaper's hand pulling him forward until he was caged in the cold embrace. "Come take your price after I send the boy to somewhere safe."

"He is safe here." Reaper replied, pulling that ID card from Jack's hand. The hollow eyes of his mask stared at Jack as the mercenary started to fade into black smoke and disappeared.

Jack sighed again. He hoped Reaper wouldn't kill the man right away, it would be too easy. He knew Reaper wasn't the fan of torturing. Yet Reaper was, somehow, good at it.

 

 

"…my mom married him last year. He was good…at first. And…last month… mom died… and he…" Riley was almost sobbing as he tried to finish his story. "…he moved us there. He said that the house was enough for…for his debt."

"That's enough." Jack nodded, looking at the clock. Now he wished he was the one dealing with Riley's step-father instead. This man was a drug dealer. He had abused Riley since the boy's mother died. The boy was given only one meal a day. Sometimes Riley was lucky to steal a fruit or two from the fridge before his step-father knew. But there was several time he was caught, and that was how the angry bruises on him came from.

"So… can I go with you?" Riley said, bright eyes staring at him. Jack took a deep breath. He knew he could not take the boy with him. "You are a good man. You save me."

Jack wanted to say that he was the one who caused that car to crash, but he said nothing and shook his head instead.

"No, you cannot come with me." He said, made sure his voice was firm but kind. "I travel a lot, and you have to go to school. I can't let you come with me." Riley's face fall, but Jack kept on before sadness had overwhelmed his eyes. "But I have already called a friend. She is kind and she is a doctor. She will find you a home. Somewhere you will be able to live your life and…" He looked into the boy's eyes and knew what he had to say to make Riley went with Mercy. "…and I will keep in touch. Don't worry kid, I will visit you. You will be fine."

"Thank you." Riley moved across the table to hug him. Jack hugged him back. Warmness spread in his chest, and he looked up to see Reaper staring at them.

Jack was panic at first. He didn't want Riley to see the other, but he didn't know what to do. Luckily, Reaper was kind enough to fade away before Riley released the hug.

"You should get some rest." Jack said, nudging Riley toward the bed. "My friend Mercy will be here tomorrow morning. You'll like her, I'm sure."

"Okay." Riley nodded and got on the bed, pulling the blanket over him. Jack dimmed the light and grabbed a towel. He too needed a shower after this bloody day.

 

Gabriel was already in the shower, his arsenal and clothes were already shredded. Jack made sure he didn't step over the shotguns as he took his clothes off. Gabriel watched him with cold eyes, but Jack saw the fire inside them.

"How is that scumbag?" Jack asked as he stepped under the shower. Gabriel's hands were instantly on him, pulling him close.

"You mean 'scumbags'?" Gabriel said as he started cleaning Jack's hair. "I shot their fingers, one by one, also their toes."

"With your shotgun?" Jack chuckled. "You would probably blow the whole hand away."

"I used knives." Reaper replied. "Then I used more pressure to cut their fingers off."

"Umhm…" Jack nodded, relaxed back against the hard chest behind him. "…let's make this quick. I don't want to leave him out there alone."

"No one is trying to find him." Reaper said. "Those scumbags and their gang were eliminated." His hands traveled down, grabbing Jack's hip. "Now, let me collect my prize."

"Go on." Jack nodded, letting Reaper pushed him against the wall. He wrapped his legs around Gabriel's hip and let the other slammed into him. He was still loose from their sex in the morning.

 

 

Later that night, Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes laid together on the bed. Jack was shielding Riley from the door, and Gabriel was shielding Jack's back from behind. One of their hands tangled with each other, with Reyes trailing a kiss on Jack's neck.

"I wish you would stretch your generosity on other Overwatch's agents." Jack mumbled, leaning back against Reyes. "Lena thought you're a big brother. Mercy missed you…"

"Don't push your luck." Gabriel replied, titling Jack's face so their eyes met. Jack sighed and let the mercenary kissed him again. After that he let the sleep took him, he knew Gabriel would keep watch until sunrise.

 

Jack woke up as the sun appeared from the horizon. Gabriel was already up, strapping his weapons back to their places.

"I will go to England next." Jack said, watching Reaper moved around the room to gather his things. "Hope you will join me."

"I won't promise anything." Reaper replied, turning to kiss Jack before putting his mask on. After that he faded into a smoke and disappeared. Jack sighed happily and watched Riley slept. He had two quiet hours to himself before Mercy arrived.

Jack settled on brooding about yesterday. But then there was a new message in his phone. Jack picked it up and smiled as he read the message from Gabriel, saying that the mercenary had already booked a ticket to England.

"See you soon." Jack smiled, texting Gabriel back that he would be the one booking the hotel.

 

 

 


End file.
